This invention relates to a toothpaste tube filling or replenishment unit mountable on the tube itself Thus, the tube, referred to herein as a travel tube, is equipped to carry a sleeve designed to allow the travel tube to be filled or replenished from another tube, called herein the home tube. Thus travellers may carry the travel tube and fill it or partially fill it or refill it from a home tube. The home tube may carry the traveller""s favorite brand of toothpaste.
By xe2x80x98fillingxe2x80x99 herein I include partial as well as complete filling and filling for the first or another time.
The filling unit is designed to be neatly carried on the travel tube. The travel tube may thus be filled or replenished by any other tube which has a compatible thread on its spout. Moreover the unit has means, preferably a plastic cap which squeezes on or fastens on the open end or spout of the travel tube when the travel tube is not in use, to effect closure of the travel tube.
In accord with the invention the filling or replenishment unit (xe2x80x98unitxe2x80x99 hereafter) comprises a sleeve with interior threading shaped to threadedly receive a home tube exterior threaded spout. Means are provided for storing the sleeve on the travel tube when not in use; and when desired for filling or replenishment for placing the sleeve in an attitude (extended position) to receive the home tube screwed into the sleeve with the home tube passage communicating with the travel tube passage for filling or replenishment of the latter. The home tube may be unscrewed when the travel tube is filled or replenished, and the sleeve replaced in storage position or retracted position.
Preferably means by preferably a cap attached to the sleeve is available to close the travel tube when the sleeve is not in use.
In accord with the invention, unit comprising a sleeve designed to be carried on the travel tube is provided with exposable interior threads to receive the end of the home tube screwed thereto. When the home tube is threaded into the sleeve it will be noted that preferably the spout edge of the home tube can be made to abut the spout edge of the travel tube to prevent migration of extra toothpaste among the threads of the sleeve or the home tube.
In a first preferred form of the invention the travel tube mounts a sleeve having retracted and extended positions and internal threading which can mesh with exterior threading on the outside of the travel tube spout as well as with exterior threading on the home tube spout. Thus the sleeve, mounted on the travel tube when not in use may, for filling or replenishment, be partially unscrewed from the travel tube to expose an extent of its internal threads. The home tube may then be screwed in xe2x80x9cdockedxe2x80x9d in the exposed sleeve threads so the home tube may be squeezed for filling or replenishment of the travel tube. When filling or replenishment is completed the home tube may be unscrewed from the sleeve and the sleeve screwed back into retracted position on the travel tube. The sleeve may be dimensioned so that the ends of the travel tube spout, screwed into one sleeve end, and of the home tube spout, screwed into the other sleeve end, may abut and prevent the escape of toothpaste into the internal or external threadings. When the sleeve is again retracted, means may be provided attached to the sleeve to close the travel tube spout.
In a second preferred form of the invention, the travel tube mounts a sleeve, having means for mechanical coupling with the travel tube in both a retracted and extended position. The sleeve may be manually moved to one position or the other. In the extended position the sleeve exposes internal threading to allow screwing in of the spout of the home tube. The sleeve may be dimensioned so that the end of the screwed in home tube spout abuts the end of the home tube spout to minimize escape of toothpaste in the threadings.
In a third preferred form of the invention the spout of the travel tube has an inner extent with exterior threading of a given external diameter, and an outward threading extent of smaller exterior diameter. A sleeve has complementary dual diameter internal threading so that it may be stored on and screwed on and off the travel tube. It is understood that both large and small diameter threadings have the same lead and be coaxial.
With such preferred form, when it is desired to fill or replenish the travel tube, the sleeve may be unscrewed from the travel tube and reversed then (a) screwed with its large threading on the home tube then (b) screwed with its small diameter on the small diameter exterior threading of the travel tube. (Note that steps (a) and (b) may be reversed in order.) The travel tube is then filled or replenished by squeezing the home tube. The sleeve may be dimensioned so that during filling or replenishment the travel tube spout edge rests on the spout end of the home tube to provide a near seal to inhibit the escape of toothpaste into the threadings.
When the sleeve has been unscrewed from the home tube and screwed to the travel position on the travel tube cap, means preferably provided on the sleeve may be used to cap the open end of the travel tube.
In a fourth preferred form for the invention the travel tube sleeve has internal threading to (c) to threadably receive a home tube external thread and a snap flange which cooperates with the travel tube spout to (d) mount the sleeve in retracted and external positions. In external position the sleeve exposes its internal threading facing the home tube to receive the latter screwed therein. In retracted position a cap preferably on the sleeve may be used to close the sleeve spout.
In all embodiments, during filling or replenishment there is a defined conduit from the inside of its home tube to the inside of the travel tube. Preferably this conduit will be smooth for easy flow of toothpaste and home and travel tubes will preferably abut during filling or replenishment to avoid escape of toothpaste into the threaded extents.
Preferably the sleeve in each embodiment is provided with a means such as a cap operable in a way well known to those skilled in the art to close the travel tube spout when the sleeve is stowed on the travel tube.
All embodiments preferably provide a sleeve which stows neatly on the travel tube when not in use, and, which in use provides a conduit between the inside of the home tube and the inside of the travel tube for filling or replenishment of the contents of the latter.